Chapter 21

It was one of those moments when words escape all involved. Silence hung in the room like a thick vapor. Hermione stood opened mouthed as did Ginny beside her. Severus stood still, his body towards the mirror, but his face turned towards the two women. If the two witches hadn't been so shocked, they would have seen the shock on the Professor's face as well.

"Well…well…well." Elmer's voice cut the tension in the room like a knife. "Now we are to have some fun, aren't we?"

All human eyes swung towards the mirror and focused on Elmer for a moment and then swung back towards each other.

It was Ginny who broke the silence permanently. With her laughter. She was almost doubled over laughing, while one arm rested on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione stood, uncomfortable and still, as Ginny's laughter echoed in the room. In the background, Elmer's low rumbling chuckles could be heard as well.

Hermione was sure the Professor would explode. His face was contorted with rage as he watched the red headed witch cackle on. Hermione cleared her throat

"Ginny? Ginny? Ginny!" Her eyes cut toward her friend. Ginny looked up and then looked between Hermione and her former Potions Master. Her laughter slowly faded. "Ginny…I…erm…could you…could you excuse us for a moment?" Ginny's mouth fell open as her eyes darted back and forth between the other two people in the room.

"Brilliant, huh? I see…" still chuckling to herself, she backed out of the room and head for the lobby.

"Professor! I apologize. Ginny came and...well…I don't see my friends often. There was a problem, well actually a misunderstanding with-"

"Please spare me details Ms. Granger. For I certainly don't care to hear them. I came to speak with you regarding the letter I sent earlier. I-" his eyes leveled on the young witch as she stood before him. "You've been drinking?"

"I…well…yes, well, not that much." Hermione felt awful. The butterflies in her stomach were doing figure eights as his eyes racked over her. She knew she had drank a little too much, but she had had so much fun.

"I see. Come with me." She followed him out of the door and into the laboratory. He placed his hand on her shoulder and guided her onto a stool. It raced through Hermione's mind how odd it was that her skin felt like fire where he touched her. She felt the butterflies continue their performance as the Professor flicked his wand and summoned a cauldron. He began reaching into Hermione's storage cupboard and pulling out potion ingredients. She watched as his fingers pinched a little of this and a little of that and sprinkled it into the cauldron. He lit a fire beneath it and began to stir. Her eyes wandered up his arm and she remembered that once, long ago, she thought his movements fluid and lovely. Like a dancer performing a beautiful minuet. Her eyes traveled further to his shoulders and then to his neck. His hair was long and silken. It fell limply down his shoulders. He had let it grow out these past few years. Her eyes traveled to his face and focused on his mouth. They were thin lips. Nothing like the muggle poster boys that were on TV. or magazines. But they were half open and looked soft. His nose protruded from his face oddly. It was if someone had mistakenly attached the wrong piece when he was born. Her eyes saw that his skin was flawless and pale. For a moment she wondered what it felt like. Was it soft? Or was his face scratchy and rough? Her eyes sought his and she found them.

Severus had watched her, unbeknownst to her, as her eyes sized him up. He felt uncomfortable under her gaze. She was studying him like a lab experiment. About the time she was staring at his hair, he had looked over and was going to address her. Now, he found himself quit speechless. He watched her watch him. Until their eyes met.

What made it start now? He didn't know. But he felt a warmth begin in his stomach an branch out to his limbs. All the while, his eyes and hers were locked together. It scared him slightly that she didn't recoil. She didn't even look away. She met his eyes and he watched as she studied his face. For a moment, he wondered what she thought of him. Did she think him handsome? Of course not. Severus noticed his breathing becoming a bit difficult and so he broke eye contact and returned to the potion at hand. Neither one spoke. Neither one said a word as he poured a yellow potion into a beaker.

He approached Hermione with the potion and handed it to her. Her eyes, never having left his face, were questioning.

"You are inebriated Ms. Granger. This will dilute the effects of whatever it was you have drank. Please drink it. We have work to do." Hermione's hand grasp the beaker, still looking at her Professor. Her hand grazed his as she took the beaker form him. It was soft.

"Thank you.." Severus nodded.

Hermione drank the bitter potion and made a face afterwards. Severus snorted as he flicked his wand twards the cauldren and the brew. He turned towards her and leaned caulaly anginst the table.

"Professor, thank you. I don't know what came over me. I just...I don't really know…' Hermione's voice failed her. Severus stood looking at the young woman and nodded.

"It's understandable. Now, we have work to do and you have a guest that needs to be sent home." his eyebrows raised as a look of horror crossed her face.

She didn't know what to say to Ginny. She wiped her hand across her face as she stood. She squared her shoulders and faced the potions master.

"Care to come with me?" she had a mischievous look in her eye that intrigued him. He had never seen that look on her face before.

"To do what?" he asked in a low voice.

"To explain things to Ginny. She will sober up soon and then there will be Hell to pay. But I think if we talk to her, together, she will understand the gravity of the situation. She can not tell anyone you were here. I think a good thorough talking to by her former Potion Professor might do the trick. I don't know if you are aware Professor, but you can be a little disconcerting at times." her sarcasm was not lost on the potions master. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and then looked down at the woman before him.

She had fire in her eyes. A small smile was playing on her lips. He didn't know why he thought it, or where the thought came from but he noticed for the first time, that she was beautiful.